Nothing Brings People Together Like Mutual Sin
by Songswald
Summary: Tessa teaches Jem to drive. They also steal a cat. It's adorable.


"Okay Jem just put your foot on that one and-"

"That one?"

"Yeah that one and then JEM NO STOP PRESS THE BRAKE PRESS THE BRAKE"

"Which one's the break again?"

"THE ONE ON THE RIGHT THE ONE ON THE RIGHT"

Jem calmly moved his foot over to the brake, pressing it sharply in the way that first time drivers often do. Tessa jerked forward, drawing blood from her lip where she'd bitten it. She looked up to see that they'd been approximately three inches from the rusting dumpster they'd been heading towards.

"Oh dear, we seem to have almost crashed," Jem remarked pragmatically, "How do I turn this thing around?"

"My baby!" Tessa exclaimed, hugging the dashboard in front of her, "By the angel Jem I've had this car since the 1970's be careful."

"Sorry Tess, I didn't mean to," Jem said, looking genuinely distressed.

"Here, just do it a bit slower okay? Ease into it. And you move this," Tessa reached over him to grab the gearshift," to put it into reverse. But before you do make sure to check the mirrors like we talked about to make sure that there's nothing behind us and it's safe to back up."

"Right," Jem muttered. He reached up as if to turn the car around but stopped a second before and looked at Tessa with eyes that seemed alien. They weren't silvery gray like she was used to but the black they should have always been. Despite the superficial differences, they still held something that was uniquely Jem in them. They were kind and knowing, wise and compassionate, just like the eyes Tessa remembered. "Thanks for helping me out with all this stuff. I mean it, I'd- I'd be lost without you. There's just _so_ much new technology, it's hard to get accustomed to it all." He ran his fingers through his hair, a mannerism he'd adopted after his time as a Silent Brother.

Tessa reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. I know it's a lot to take in at once. I've had time to adapt to it all and I'm still not totally used to it. It's just so… different you know?" She looked at him imploringly. Jem was one of the only people who would understand the extreme culture shock she felt when comparing Victorian London to modern day US.

"Yeah, yeah it is," he said exhaling.

Tessa turned him toward her and ran her thumb over the creases on his brow, smoothing them out. "It's okay," she repeated. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his gently. He froze for half a second, unsure how to continue. He'd been a Silent Brother for over a hundred years and in all that time he hadn't kissed anyone. What if he couldn't remember how to do it anymore? He and Tessa had been together so much in the past few weeks it was as if they'd never been apart. He'd thought about kissing her before, he'd been longing to do so, but he wasn't sure if she'd be open to them starting over. And now that it was happening, he wasn't sure what to do.

But he soon found himself immersed in the kiss. Kissing her felt just like it always had: like redemption. It was as if everything he'd ever done led up to this, like this was his reason for existing and like nothing could be wrong as long as his mouth was locked with hers. She moved softly against him, parting his lips with her tongue. He wrapped his hands in her hair, tugging her closer to him. Her hands cupped his face and he could smell her vanilla perfume. Her mouth was so warm and welcoming and all he wanted was more.

What had started out as slow and comfortable, meant to reassure, soon turned into something fierce and passionate. All those years of longing bubbled to the surface at once, boiling over. She lightly bit his lip and he couldn't help but moan at the feel of her. He felt as though there was fire coursing through his veins, so different from the past century when he couldn't feel anything at all.

She pulled back slightly, smiling against his lips, "I think that's enough driving for today. I'll take us home."

"Are you sure? I think I've got this whole going forward thing down. I've practically mastered driving. I might as well get my license right now."

She gave him a withering look as she grabbed the steering wheel.

After his first lessons, Jem's driving improved significantly. His innate patience made him a natural at it, although there were a few close calls while he was still getting used to the moderness of it all. But overall, Tessa (almost) trusted him to not crash her car. In fact, on the night of Jocelyn and Luke's wedding, she actually let him drive all the way there.

The wedding had been, as they say, a blast. Tessa got to talk to Clary Fray, a conversation she'd long awaited and Jem got to reconnect with Church. He'd been so attached to that cat that she almost thought he missed it more than he missed her.

After talking with Clary, she'd gotten up to say goodbye to Jocelyn. By the time Tessa managed to locate her, she found that she was in the middle of a conversation with another guest. Tessa waited patiently, continuing to watch the Herondale boy and the Lightwoods interact. Strange how drastically family relationships can change.

Out of the crowd, she felt Jem approaching her. It was like she could sense he was near her and she turned around just as he reached her. She expected him to look jovial as he had earlier but he was borderline frantic, a look Tessa wasn't used to seeing on him. "Tessa we have to go."

"Okay just let me say a quick goodbye to Jocelyn and we can leave."

"No, you don't understand, we have to leave _now_."

Tessa stepped closer, her face twisted in concern. "Jem, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Jem's stomach contracted at hearing Tessa call him that. It was a nickname she'd adopted for him, one that was apparently pretty common for the 21st century, but one that made his blood race every time he heard it. He wasn't used to terms of endearment being used so freely nor hearing them fall from her lips. He hoped he never got used to it. But that wasn't his first priority right now. "No, Tessa nothing's wrong it's just," Jem pulled Church out from beneath his suit jacket.

"Jem you stole their cat?!" Tessa whispered forcefully, trying not to attract attention.

"Only kind of," Jem muttered back looking vaguely uncomfortable, "He was my cat first."

"Jem you can't just take people's pets!"

Jem looked sheepish. "It was an impulse and I can't put him back now. Let's just go, they'll never have to know it was us."

Despite herself, Tessa smirked, "Okay hold on a second." She turned to Jocelyn and quickly thanked her for inviting them before she turned to Jem and tugged on his sleeve as she led them out the front door.

As soon as they were sure that no one could see them, they broke out into a run. The slap of his shoes and the click of her heels sounded too loud in the silent night but they kept sprinting, both of them slightly out of breathe. Church, despite being partial to Jem, started mewling in protest at being jostled around in his coat.

Finally they made it to the car. Tessa quickly jammed her key in the door and unlocked it. They both slid in, Jem almost knocking his head on the roof. Tessa started the car and swerved out of the parking space in the way that only a pro at get-aways can. The tires squealed on the pavement and she started speeding down the street.

Finally she asked, "Jem, did we just steal a cat from a wedding?"

"I think, technically, we stole a cat from a reception."

She couldn't help it. It was just so ridiculous. She burst into giggles, which in turn got Jem giggling until both of them were laughing so hard they had tears streaming from their eyes.

When he finally caught his breath, Jem turned to her and earnestly mused, "I've missed you Tessa."

"Me too, Jem," she sighed, entwining her fingers in his, "me too."


End file.
